


The Winds of Love

by MooncatEclipse (Wolfgrowl)



Series: Wondrous Tails Bingo Event [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Airships, Beast Tribe Rights!, M/M, Prolific usage of what is almost certainly a curse word but they're Ixal, Thank you Tag wranglers I get the impression some of those tags are new
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:42:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23237140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfgrowl/pseuds/MooncatEclipse
Summary: Honestly the fact that the Warrior of Light had befriended a bunch of foul-mouthed but friendly Ixal was hardly the most surprising part of this date in Haurchefant's opinion.
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Series: Wondrous Tails Bingo Event [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1670677
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	The Winds of Love

**Author's Note:**

> For the Prompt: Beast Tribes

Nijoh’ir practically bounced into Haurchefant’s office to gracefully fall forward so that his elbows were on Haurchefant’s desk, chin resting on his hands as he grinned brightly at the knight, tail swishing excitedly behind him.

“Hello, my dear love.” Haurchefant looked up from his paperwork with a smile, always a smile for his warrior and Nijoh’ir’s somehow widened, “do you have need of me?”

“I just wanna know when you would be able to visit Gridania.” Nijoh’ir’s ears wiggled happily, whatever he was up to had him pleased, that was certain.

“What for?”

“A surprise!” Nijoh’ir’s tail shot up before drifting back down to sway behind him, “a good one, at least I hope so. But can you come, please?”

Haurchefant would drop anything and do anything Nijoh’ir, everyone in Eorzea probably knew this by now, “I suppose I could, how long would I be gone though?”

“Not long,” Nijoh’ir purred and Haurchefant was glad he was sitting because he was weak in the knees suddenly, “I think you’ll like it, it would just be an afternoon outing, promise.”

“Then I shall meet you… where in Gridania?” Haurchefant’s smile was playful and Nijoh’ir flicked his tongue out at him.

“Fallgourd Floats.” Well that was close at least, especially by Chocobo.

“I shall meet you… not tomorrow but the day after?”

“Great!” Nijoh’ir perked up, “it’s a date!”

“Oh, is that the surprise?” Haurchefant teased, Nijoh’ir huffed at him.

“Because that part wasn’t obvious, no. The surprise is what I’ve got planned.”

“I trust your judgement that it shall be simply splendid.”

Nijoh’ir made a noise and his face turned a faint pink, “you are too wonderful to be real.”

Haurchefant laughed at that and pulled him across the desk to kiss him, “and I would say the same about you.”

-

Which was how Haurchefant found himself standing next to the chocobokeep waiting for Nijoh’ir. The area was lovely, so vibrant in a way Haurchefant hadn’t seen in Ishgard since before the Calamity.

“Hey,” Nijoh’ir’s hand caught his and he gave it a gentle squeeze at the same time Nijoh’ir did.

“Hello, my dear.” He bent down to kiss Nijoh’ir, “now what is this surprise?”

Nijoh’ir looked around a moment, “huh, guess Qiti’s not here. Shame, she would’ve loved to mock me for this.” And then he pulled Haurchefant down into another kiss, this one definitely less sweet and more filthy.

“Nijoh’ir,” Haurchefant breathed when they finally broke apart, “in public.”

“Please,” Nijoh’ir was equally breathless and equally playful, “you love it. Now come on.”

Gently he dragged Haurchefant out of the settlement, down a path through the woods until they reached a stone cliff.

Nijoh’ir shifted his weight a moment, “uh, you can’t tell anyone about this. Like Amasar knows but you know.” He gestured vaguely, “you’ll understand when I show you.”

Haurchefant paused but nodded, “I trust your judgement, Nijoh’ir.”

Nijoh’ir let out a breath of relief and then led him a bit further, to a path between the rocks that had been hidden from where they were standing.

“I’ll go first,” Nijoh’ir slipped through easily, Haurchefant followed him right after, he could hear now, echoing off the rocks, voices, the sounds of tools and… birds?

Nijoh’ir walked forward calmly, halting only when an indignant squawk sounded.

“Halt! Enter our workshop, you shall not!” An Ixal bounded forward and Haurchefant reached for his sword but Nijoh’ir twisted to give him a look, pleading, and Haurchefant released the hilt.

The Ixal moved right past Nijoh’ir, “followed, you were.”

“I wasn’t followed, I led him here.” Nijoh’ir turned to the Ixal, “it’s okay, he’s with me. Sezul knows he’s coming.”

The Ixal stared at Haurchefant, which was unsettling as all he could see were the slit like lens on its goggles.

“Hmph. Friend of ours, any friend of Nijoh’ir’s is.” Nijoh’ir seemed unbothered by the strange speech, he simply twitched one ear.

“Thank you.”

“Watch yourself though, you will, featherless nueker.”

“Hey,” Nijoh’ir shot the Ixal a dirty look, “there’s no need for that.”

The Ixal gave a cawing laughter, “Favorite featherless one, you and friends are. Nuekers, the rest are. Prove otherwise, he might.” The Ixal waved them through with another cawing laugh, Nijoh’ir shook his head.

“Sorry about that,” he flattened his ears and looked up at Haurchefant, “I promise they’re not going to hurt you.”

“I did rather get that impression.” Nijoh’ir still looked worried though, until Haurchefant took his hand again, “if you can make peace between heretics, Ishgard and the dragons, then I believe you out of anyone can make friends with the Ixal.”

Nijoh’ir let out a breath of relief, “thanks.” He bumped his forehead into Haurchefant’s arm, “they’re not even dangerous, they’re just a bunch of crafters, come on let me show you!” The excitement was back, his eyes bright as he pulled Haurchefant into a stone hollow, what might’ve once been a quarry of some kind.

Ixal glanced at them but upon seeing Nijoh’ir went back to their work, Haurchefant gawked as he took it all in, scaffolding and crafting, the bright colors of the Ixal, so different from the usual drab grays and browns of the ones near his camp.

“What is this place?” He asked in awe, before his mind finally registered what was in the center of it all, “Nijoh’ir that’s-”

It made sense, it did. Ixal built war balloons but this was a ship. A beautiful airship the likes of which Haurchefant had never seen. He’d dare say even Cid Garlond would have trouble making its equal.

A squawking laugh cut into his surprise, “Close mouth, featherless one should. Likely to swallow bugs.”

“Hey Sezul,” Nijoh’ir greeted the Ixal that was looking up at them from the platform below, “how goes the next prototype Tataramu?”

The lalafell, dwarfed by the looming Ixal beside him, looked up from the plans sprawled over the deck, “It’s going that’s for sure Nijoh’ir! I might’ve shaved a stone off the weight with the latest idea I had, we’ll get it up there yet!”

Nijoh’ir grinned up at Haurchefant, “welcome to the Echtl Nine’s camp.”

Haurchefant looked at Nijoh’ir and then back at the airship, “Nijoh’ir this is amazing!”

“Gawk down here, featherless one should. Speak with Nijoh’ir in meantime, I would.” The Ixal cut in, Nijoh’ir heaved a sigh and grinned.

“Don’t let Sezul rub you wrong, the old bird’s softer than he likes to appear.”

“Shut mouth, Nijoh’ir should.”

Nijoh’ir laughed and led the way down to the two, Haurchefant had to admit he was able to do little other than gawk at the airship before him, how had this been hidden for so long?

The lalafell raised a hand in greeting, “I do believe I’ve heard of you, Lord Haurchefant Graystone correct?” When Haurchefant nodded he nodded back, “I’m Tataramu, Heir of the Highwind Skyways. A pleasure to meet you.” He grinned and gestured to the ship, “beautiful no? The Dezul Qualan, named for Sezul’s mentor and predecessor. Nijoh’ir was invaluable in building her. Course, needs improvements, what prototype doesn’t but we realized the other day that Nijoh’ir had never even gotten a ride in her.”

Nijoh’ir, who had been chatting with the Ixal, turned his head, “and I’d rather now than before you finally figure out how to launch it up to this paradise.”

Sezul laughed at that, and Haurchefant was beginning to see just how fond he was of the two non-Ixals in his camp, “worry, Nijoh’ir shouldn’t. We will not launch him into the sky.”

“But I am going to at least give him a ride,” Tataramu cut in, arms folded over his chest, “just when I mentioned giving him a ride he suddenly started hemming and hawing.”

Nijoh’ir’s ears flattened at that, “you offered me a once in a lifetime ride on an airship that few people would ever know existed, one that would rival the Garlond Ironworks, an airship that I help build myself and I want to share that experience with the man I love-“

“Like bird in spring, Nijoh’ir is.” Sezul remarked, the Ixal shook his head, “singing song, dancing about to show feathers. If planning to mate, do so outside of my camp.”

Nijoh’ir yelped and Tataramu and Sezul cackled as he gawked at them. Haurchefant covered his mouth with one hand to hide his fond smile.

“I was-”

“For what it is worth,” Haurchefant tried to keep his voice even, but the warmth and amusement crept in despite himself, “it was working, Nijoh’ir. I’m very impressed.”

Nijoh’ir rubbed the back of his neck and gave a crooked grin, “yeah?”

“I am.” Haurchefant clapped his hands together, “simply beholding it is a marvel, I cannot imagine getting to ride it.”

“Speak well, Nijoh’ir’s mate does. But eye for quality we knew Nijoh’ir had.” Haurchefant winked at Nijoh’ir who was really beginning to turn an adorable shade of red, while Sezul continued, “preparations made, Tataramu?”

“Aye!” The lalafell gave a salute, “if everyone is ready then climb aboard!”

This time it was Nijoh’ir who caught Haurchefant’s hand in his, grinning as he pulled him down the scaffoldings to the airship.


End file.
